A legendary return to the stage for Dublin folk band

The Dublin Legends embark on a tour of the UK in the New Year

Published:07:00Saturday 02 January 2016

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For more than 50 years, they have been true legends of the Irish folk music scene.

In 2012, The Dubliners celebrated half a century in the music business by receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and rapidly followed it up with a sell-out UK concert tour.

Following the sudden death of founding member “Banjo” Barney McKenna, the remaining members agreed that The Dubliners, as a touring band, would come to an end.

But not ready to get off the tour bus just yet, The Dublin Legends were then born and are set to take to the road from January.

Guitarist Sean Cannon said: “It’s too late to stop now, isn’t it? We’ve been together in some form or another as far back as the 1950s and I never thought that we would still be together to this day – we just started as a small folk band playing pubs, after all.

“It’s a lot of hard work being on the road but we really do enjoy it and we’re not ready to call it a day just yet.”

The band will take in eight dates in Scotland – something that they are all looking forward to.

“We love playing shows in Scotland. I do have a lot of love for the country and find it really beautiful,” Sean continued.

“The shows are always very lively when we play there as the Scots are always up for a good time.”

Honouring the memory of the original Dubliners, the tour is filled with old favourites, new songs and some offerings from Scotland’s famous poet.

“I’m a huge fan of Robert Burns,” Sean explained. “So we thought we would throw some of his work into the mix; it makes for a good show!”